Danica to NASCAR

[Ron61]

Bob,

I will be watching also. I bet this will be the largest crowd and most watched ARCA race in history. I am also going to watch the Daytona 500 Qualifying, if it isn't still raining there.

Ron

[Don]

While there will be many opinions on Danica's skill and ability to successfully drive both IRL and NASCAR, the press coverage should help the sport in visibility and TV ratings .

In turn, might attract additional sponsors for those teams that are underfunded or cannot get any financial backing. Believe it was Rousch with a highly rated Team, that was challenged to get full sponsorship for all his cars. Boris Said has only a 5 race deal.

[rustyBob]

Hot damn...Mark Martin has the pole for the Daytona 500....
now lets see what happens in the ARCA brace and the Bud Shootout.....

[dcdoug]

I guess that should answer the question as to whether she can drive in NASCAR. Pretty good first outing and a nice job controlling her car when she was knocked into the infield and then from hitting the wall when she got back to the track.

[PatBuckley]

I agree - I think she did a good job. Certainly a better job than I thought she would do.

I must say though that an ARCA car at Daytona, especially one from a top team, is not the much of a yardstick.....just wait until she gets to a track that is much harder to set up for.

[Ron61]

I thought that she did very well and handled the getting bumped around well. I was more interested in how she would handle the car among traffic than in the finish, but 6th wasn't bad at all. Now as Pat said, the real test will come when she gets to a track that the car has to be set up for and to see how well she handles that if the car isn't right. But based on this race, I believe she will do ok for her first times out. That other woman that ran 3rd for quite a while near the end did well too, though they hardly mentioned her.

Ron

[Don]

Danica's performance, while just one race, did show that she has the talent and potential to continue her pursuit of NASCAR racing, starting 12th and finishing 6th for the first start.

Some memorable moments of staying off the outside wall after being bumped to the infield, not just pure luck when the inside camera showed her hand movements in steering out of trouble, dropping down from the outside lane thru traffic then passing on the inside, learning the draft and at the end going from 24th to finish 6th

The tire marks on her car, not being intimidated with fender to fender racing . Encouraging interview by the race winner, commented on the positive aspects of her participation.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=356766

[Don]

" to see how well she handles that if the car isn't right. "

Reasonable to speculate that after the excursion in the infield pavement and grass, the handling and set up had to be impacted, and then at the end of the race going from 24th to 6th.

[rustyBob]

she gets a thumbs up from me.........she did good just like i said she would.

[tcrist]

I think she did real well until the last lap when she pulled down into RC to finish 6TH instead of 7TH. Now you could say that it was side draft that pulled her into him or it was just a racing deal but that did not happen to her all race long. W'll have to see on future races.

[Ron61]

Don,

to see how well she handles that if the car isn't right. "

That wasn't my whole statement. I said to see how well she handles it on a track where the car has to be set up for changing track conditions and she needs to give feedback to her crew. I think she did great but if you are going to quote me please use the whole statement, not just part of it. And there is a world of difference in a car that isn't handling well at Daytona and say Texas or one of the short tracks which keep changing during a race. That being said, I am a fan of hers and hope that she will do well.

Ron

[Don]

According to another interview, there were adjustments after the infield excursion, whether track conditions or race related, still was a need for Danica's feedback as well as following the driving guidance from the Crew Chief in adapting to the handling, i.e. after the excursion

In another interview, Danica mentioned she sensed when the tires were getting worn and adapted accordingly

[Ron61]

I'm not denying that she did great and handled the car well.My statement was how would she do on a shorter track when she may have to drive a whole section of the race with a car that is not handling well. They also had a lot of cautions in this race. Personally I hope that she does well and believe she will, but only time will actually tell.

Ron

[Bill Bess]

Right on Ron, she is a good driver with a lot of experience in a different type of car (open wheels). She can drive, but will have too learn about these cars and how to communicate to the pit crew in a positive and constructive manner in order to compete with the more experienced NASCAR drivers.
She's a star now and all those Go Daddy commercials will keep her in our faces...and I like that.
Go Daddy Bill

[Don]

Looks like it's a go, hopefully the expectations will be kept at a reasonable level, when considering only the 2nd time on the track and the first time with a higher level of experienced and skilled drivers, Nationwide and Cup

ARCA web site:

Danica......." used the ARCA race to learn how to adapt to big, heavy stock cars. She showed that she is a fast learner, working the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet on the inside, outside and middle lanes of the racetrack in both the front and the back of the field throughout the 80 lap/200-mile event. "

http://www.arcaracing.com/news.php?contentid=9289

AutoWeek Racing:

" JR Motorsports confirmed early Monday that Danica Patrick will run Saturday afternoon's season-opening 300-mile Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway, a week earlier than her scheduled NASCAR debut. She and team co-owner Kelly Earnhardt made the decision based on her solid sixth-place finish last weekend's 200-mile ARCA race at DIS.
"Racing in the Nationwide Series race was my goal during this entire two-month preparation process, but we wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do," Patrick said in a statement issued by the team. "The ARCA race was a blast, and I'm not ready for my first Daytona Speedweeks to end just yet. I want more racing." "


: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2010...#ixzz0exf8iHv7

[Ron61]

Great. I was wondering when she would make a decision as the last I heard she still hadn't made up her mind. This will give her more seat time and in a little higher class.

Ron

[Don]

Danica continues to receive positive support regarding her entry into the Nationwide race. While there may be, have not seen any press releases from Teams, drivers etc questioning the decision. NASCAR , Daytona and sponsors will benefit with the increased TV viewing.

Danica has a guaranteed starting position based upon points acquired, a normal NASCAR sanctioned procedure, from a Team, #11 CJM Racing, that finished 15th last year and is not racing this year. Will be interesting if Danica, #7, and Dale Jr, #88, are racing side by side, neither one desiring to relinquish their position.

Taking into consideration, the three being quoted have a vested interest in Danica's success.

Quote from Kelly Earnhart:

"I think Danica proved to everyone that she can compete in stock cars at a high level, and right now seat time is extremely important," Kelley Earnhardt said. "She has worked extremely hard during the past two months for this opportunity. Her dedication and work ethic is infectious."

Quote from Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons

"Danica's got what it takes, and it's obvious from the ARCA race NASCAR is right up her alley," said Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons. "She's ready to drive the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevy in Daytona and is sure to give the fans an exciting show just like she did in the ARCA race."

Quote: Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig

"This is great news to hear," Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. "Danica put on a fantastic show for race fans last weekend. From her incredible save in the tri-oval to working her way back through the field to finish sixth, there's not a better place for her to make her first NASCAR start than Daytona International Speedway."

[PatBuckley]

Compared to the ARCA race, Nationwide is big time.

She will get her pretty little ass handed to her on a plate.

[Ron61]

Pat,

It is a big jump, but can I have the plate when it is over?

Ron

[Ron61]

Hey Don, today is the two qualifying races for the Daytona 500. Are you going to watch them? I will as it is raining here and will take a week of dry weather before I can start any yard work.

Ron